Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Forgiveness is Authentic Freedom

Today's Scripture Readings

Genesis 50:15-21 (NRSV)

Realizing that their father was dead, Joseph's brothers said, "What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong that we did to him?" So they approached Joseph, saying, "Your father gave this instruction before he died, `Say to Joseph: I beg you, forgive the crime of your brothers and the wrong they did in harming you.' Now therefore please forgive the crime of the servants of the God of your father." Joseph wept when they spoke to him. Then his brothers also wept, fell down before him, and said, "We are here as your slaves." But Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid! Am I in the place of God? Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today. So have no fear; I myself will provide for you and your little ones." In this way he reassured them, speaking kindly to them.

Psalm 103 (BCP. p.733)


Romans 14:1-12 (NRSV)

Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions. Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables. Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat; for God has welcomed them. Who are you to pass judgment on servants of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand.

Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. Those who observe the day, observe it in honor of the Lord. Also those who eat, eat in honor of the Lord, since they give thanks to God; while those who abstain, abstain in honor of the Lord and give thanks to God.

We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written,

"As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,

and every tongue shall give praise to God."

So then, each of us will be accountable to God.

Matthew 18:21-35 (NRSV)

Peter came and said to Jesus, "Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.

"For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, `Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, `Pay what you owe.' Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, `Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, `You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?' And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart."

Blog Reflection

The life of Joseph in the Book of Genesis was full of ups and downs like all of us.  Sold as a slave, yet, he had the ability to interpret dreams.  His abilities gave him a unique relationship with Pharaoh, to the point that after Pharaoh's death, Joseph rose to the throne.  The conversation between Joseph and his brothers in today's reading is enough for us to believe that reconciliation is possible.   All reconciliation needs is the humility to come to terms with what we have done and what we are willing to do to fix it.

Among the things that so many of us who are Caucasian cannot figure out is why African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, Asians and so forth are so weary of trust that Americans are really prepared to end racism.  Even well passed the time of President Abraham Lincoln when the thirteenth Amendment was passed and the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. America continues to hold that white people are superior.  The shooting and death of Trayvon Martin and now Michael Brown, along with the various slanderous statements made to and about President Barack Obama, show how racist Americans remain.   The many gains of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning people and their equal rights protections are a cause for celebration.   Yet, the tragic losses in terms of no actual immigration reform, equal rights for Native Americans who still cannot vote, African Americans and women fly in the face of what we are all about.   Joseph was able to forgive his brothers, because they were able to see the error of their ways.  If we are to see a better relationship with other races among us, we will have to recognize and seek reconciliation for the many ways in which we continue to deny equal rights to individuals because of their race.  Check out this article about 10 ways in which white people can fight racism. 

It is very interesting that the reading from Genesis, as well as the other optional reading from Exodus that have a connection to the subject of slavery.  It is interesting that these readings are included with the Gospel reading from Matthew.   These readings have two themes moving through them.  Interwoven within them is life has so many challenges that remain out of our hands.  Though we cannot control many of them, we can affect change in and through how we address them.  We can choose how much we allow what happens through the ignorance and/or full knowledge of others to affect our interior relationship between ourselves and our God.  We can also choose how much we allow what others do or do not do, to make a determination on how we will respond either in this moment or as we move forward.

Tomorrow, the Church will celebrate the transferred feast of The Holy Cross.  The death of Jesus Christ on the Cross granted us forgiveness of all our sins.  God in God's infinite love and mercy gave all of us the opportunity to be redeemed from all that keeps us from embracing our true vocation of divine daughters and sons.  We are also sisters and brothers in Christ, our Savior and Redeemer.  The parable in Matthew's Gospel reminds us that no matter how grave our sins and faults may be, God in Christ has forgiven us.   We are asked to respond with gratitude for that forgiveness, by seeking by the same grace through which we have been forgiven, to forgive others.   God is not unsympathetic to the struggles we have in forgiving others who have hurt us so deeply.  God is willing by God's mercy to aid us towards an authentic and transparent experience of that amazing grace that helped us to see, when we were blind. 

Forgive us, Lord as we forgive.  We have heard these words, sung them, and prayed them in the Lord's Prayer. We repeat them, because we are human. Today's Gospel reading tells us that authentic freedom comes because we forgive, and forgive, and forgive again.  May we never stop praying those words.

Amen.


Prayers

O God, because without you we are not able to please you,
mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct
and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
for ever. Amen.  (Proper 19.  The Book of Common Prayer, p. 233).

Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ was lifted
high upon the cross that he might draw the whole world to
himself: Mercifully grant that we, who glory in the mystery
of our redemption, may have grace to take up our cross and
follow him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.  (Collect for Holy Cross Day. The Book of Common Prayer, p. 244).

O God, the Father of all, whose Son commanded us to love
our enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth:
deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in
your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  (Prayer for Our Enemies.  The Book of Common Prayer, p. 816).

 

Ash Wednesday: The Spiritual Journey of Lent Begins

Today's Scripture Readings

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 (NRSV)

Blow the trumpet in Zion;
sound the alarm on my holy mountain!
Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,
for the day of the LORD is coming, it is near--
a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and thick darkness!
Like blackness spread upon the mountains
a great and powerful army comes;
their like has never been from of old,
nor will be again after them
in ages to come.
Yet even now, says the LORD,
return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
rend your hearts and not your clothing.
Return to the LORD, your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love,
and relents from punishing.
Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,
and leave a blessing behind him,
a grain offering and a drink offering
for the LORD, your God?
Blow the trumpet in Zion;
sanctify a fast;
call a solemn assembly;
gather the people.
Sanctify the congregation;
assemble the aged;
gather the children,
even infants at the breast.
Let the bridegroom leave his room,
and the bride her canopy.
Between the vestibule and the altar
let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep.
Let them say, "Spare your people, O LORD,
and do not make your heritage a mockery,
a byword among the nations.
Why should it be said among the peoples,
`Where is their God?'"

Psalm 103 (BCP., p.733)


2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 (NRSV)

We entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says,

"At an acceptable time I have listened to you,
and on a day of salvation I have helped you."

See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! We are putting no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see-- we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 (NRSV)

Jesus said, "Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

"So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

"And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

"And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Blog Reflection

Today, we begin preparing for the "interior resurrection" as Thomas Keating puts it, that will be ours at Easter.  The impact of Easter on our spiritual lives, will have a greater meaning if we begin the Season of Lent by paying a bit more attention to what Keating calls our "emotional programs" (See The Mystery of Christ: The Liturgy as Spiritual Experience, p.36).

All of us, beginning with our birth and into adulthood, become aware of those emotional programs that we use to identify ourselves in our false sense of ourselves.  Those systems are survival/security, affection/esteem, and power/control.  They can be characterized as food/sleep/work/the basics, being the center of attention/popular/notable/famous, and rich/in control/determining our own destiny/self-salvation.   This Season of Lent is when the Church goes on a retreat for forty days to pray, listen, fast, give alms, deny ourselves, and prepare to welcome the Risen Christ at Easter with our whole selves renewed in the unconditional love and mercy of God.

Lent is a time for looking at our own Spiritual activity.  The words of Jesus in this Gospel we hear year after year, invites us to examine our motives in our Spiritual practices.   Are they driven by a sincere desire to grow closer to God, by letting go of our false sense of self which is pride?  Or, do we do them hoping to fulfill our emotional systems of survival/security, affection/esteem, or power/control to feed our false sense of self with things that cannot give us any lasting satisfaction?

Another way to ask these questions is, are we doing them for the sake of themselves?  Or are we doing them to draw us closer to God?

Our Lenten journey that we begin today, is our opportunity to walk with Jesus into the desert for forty days, so that we may grow closer to Him in our relationship to God, our neighbor and ourselves in genuine self-sacrificing love.  The love that is not shady, because it is self-seeking.  But, a love that is seeking union with God as the only thing really worth while.

Paul begins our Lent every year with this reading from 2 Corinthians.  Paul writes about the kairos which in Greek means "the appointed time."  Paul writes that the appointed time for our salvation in Christ is now.  When Paul writes in Galatians 4:4: "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his son born of a woman,,,," he uses the same word kairos for time.  The time to seek union with God by letting go of what is false, self-seeking, and not life-giving is now.  Lent is that special time of grace in our Liturgical year to know of the merciful love and forgiveness of God that we sing about in Psalm 103.

This period of Lent is good for our personal souls, but it is also extra good for the repentance of our social sins.   The sins that fuel prejudice towards LGBT people, women, people of different races, religions, cultures, abilities, health status, employment status, language and more.   The sins of omission by which we neglect the poor, the stranger, the hungry, the naked, the lonely and the disenfranchised.  Lent is an opportunity for the Church and society to examine ourselves from the inside out, to see if we can follow Christ more closely by becoming one diverse people of a greater hospitality, with healing and reconciliation for all of God's people.  Not just some, but for all people.   What an amazing Easter Day we would celebrate if that is where the Church and society landed at the empty tomb.

Let us all put our feet firmly on the labyrinth of Lent, and walk humbly and prayerfully with our God.   May we all grow just a little closer to God, with love for one another so that what we sing and do on Easter Day will equal the joy of our renewed sense of self.  May we discover during this Lent, that God alone is all we really need.  And that, serving others in God's Name is truly good news by which the Holy Spirit will renew the face of the earth.

Amen.


Prayers

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have
made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and
make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily
lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission
and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever
and ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, p. 217).

Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on
the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within
the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit
that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those
who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for
the honor of your Name. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, p.101).

Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany: Loving Our Neighbor, Even When We Would Rather Not

Today's Scripture Readings

Leviticus 19:1-2,9-18 (NRSV)

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.

When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. You shall not strip your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the alien: I am the LORD your God.

You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; and you shall not lie to one another. And you shall not swear falsely by my name, profaning the name of your God: I am the LORD.

You shall not defraud your neighbor; you shall not steal; and you shall not keep for yourself the wages of a laborer until morning. You shall not revile the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind; you shall fear your God: I am the LORD.

You shall not render an unjust judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbor. You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not profit by the blood of your neighbor: I am the LORD.

You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbor, or you will incur guilt yourself. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.

Psalm 119:33-40 (BCP., p.766)


1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23 (NRSV)

According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ.

Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.
Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written,

"He catches the wise in their craftiness,"
and again,

"The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise,
that they are futile."

So let no one boast about human leaders. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future-- all belong to you, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

Matthew 5:38-48 (NRSV)

Jesus said, "You have heard that it was said, `An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.

"You have heard that it was said, `You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Blog Reflection

Sr. Joan Chittister, OSB in her book The Monastery of the Heart: An Invitation to a Meaningful Life writes the following in the chapter 17 about Hospitality.

It is possible, of course, to make community out of "our kind of people," out of people who look like us and think like us and have the same backgrounds we do.

But that is not the kind of community the ancient Rule has in mind or a Monastery of the Heart sets out to be.

And with good cause.

When Benedict of Nursia began his new way of living in wild, licentious, sixth-century Rome, he turned that world upside down.

He took into his monastic community the rich and the poor, the slave and the free, the young and the old, artists and craftsmen, peasants and noblemen.  It was a motley crew.

And then, as if that weren't enough, he opened the doors of the monastery to anyone who came, at any time, to anyone who knocked, no matter who they were or where they had been in life along the way.

Most of all, he made of their coming a royal affair.

Guests were to be met by the entire community "united in peace," with prayer and always with the kiss of peace.

Benedict's community met everyone, whoever they were, with friendship and trust and honor.  The pilgrim, the poor, and the stranger all became new new royalty at the monastery door.

"Jesus" the Rule teaches "is to be welcomed in them" (pages 135-137).  

It would be wonderful if we could all live like that.  Welcome everyone, whether or not we like her/him.  No more barriers to being friends with everyone we come into contact with.   Of course, we know that is hardly possible.  Each of us have our point of discomfort with another person.   Someone who doesn't quite "measure up."   As that is the case, is God in our readings this Sunday asking too much of us?

Leviticus is the Book of the Holiness Code.  It was written in the post-Babylonian Exile era.  It was written in hindsight of events that the Israelite people had already experienced.  It is quite possible that it was written with a certain fright that what happened to them in the exile, could reoccur if they did not get their Temple worship together.  The entire book is full of ritual purity in preparation for the worship of God.  Therefore, it is very important to be careful about not exacting specific passages in Leviticus such as chapter 20:13 as condemning all same-gender sexual acts as a moral obligation, when in fact it is a cultural taboo only.

However, what the book is telling us is that our response to God's acts on our behalf, should be nothing less than love and respect for our neighbor.   To the point that we would honor their property, who they are, and what we do with what is on loan to us, to be shared with our neighbor.  It is clear that in this writing from Leviticus, that making room for the strangers among us is evident to living with a heart that is thankful to God.  To disregard the immigrant among us for the sake of hoarding all things for ourselves, is to disregard the Law of God who loves and delivers us.  God's word to us here, is that our society and our communities begin to deteriorate when we leave the hungry, the stranger and the unrecognizable without their full dignity among us.

As we in the United States continue our conversation about Immigration Reform, how are we welcoming the stranger among us?

At what point do we stop identifying immigrants as "illegals" and leave some room for them to find peace, prosperity and hope in our country?

At what point in our discussion, do we stop making silly statements such as "Can I be an illegal?  I could really use the benefits" as our excuse for racism and envy, when we already have more than immigrants can even imagine?

As the States of Kansas, South Dakota, Arizona, Idaho and others like them, consider bills that would legalize discrimination for businesses and services for LGBT people on the basis of "religious freedom," perhaps we should ask ourselves at what point does our "religion" give us the right to discriminate?   If our Faith is about salvation and redemption in Christ, because all are welcome, as they are, who are we to make such exceptions, and justify them?  

The Gospel for this Sunday is probably the most difficult for many of us to consider, let alone apply.   However, what Sr. Joan wrote in the quote I used above, applies as much to our adversaries as it does our closest confidants.  Our problem with this Gospel Reading is our false sense of self.   We think that we are created and even redeemed to be comfortable, at peace at all times, without any conflict, loved by all and that is only where we find God.   We put all our stock in God and ourselves, based on warm fuzziness.

While there is nothing completely bad about wanting to be comfortable and cozy, if we look for our relationship with God in only that, we will be endlessly disappointed.   The reality of this life is, that we can never find total consolation and comfort in the things of this world.  Even those who we love so closely are only but one drop in the bucket of our human experience.

What Jesus is proposing in this Gospel, is also what is meant in the sixth and seventh steps of humility in chapter 7 of The Rule of St. Benedict.

The sixth step of humility is that a monk (or anyone can be inserted here) is content with the lowest and most menial treatment and regards himself a poor and worthless workman in whatever task he is given,,,

The seventh step of humility is that a man (or woman) not only admits with his tongue but is also convinced in his heart that he is inferior to all and of less value, humbling himself and saying with the Prophet: I am truly a worm, not a man, scorned and despised by the people (Psalm 22:7) (Page 36, 37 RB 1980).

Before you close my blog post today at this point, let me explain this a bit better.  St. Benedict here is not talking about walking around with an inferiority complex, nor indulging in self abuse.   He is also not suggesting that we adopt an attitude to be oh so happy to be abused, discriminated against, etc., that is not what he is saying here at all.   What St. Benedict and Jesus are saying, is to find our ultimate comfort and completeness in God alone.  It is quite alright for us to be at the back of the line of human preference.  Not because that's what we are not, but because of all that God is.  All that we are, need, can be, and are about is found in God.   So that even if we are confronted by someone who completely disregards us, we do not justify what they do, or in some cases not speak up, all is not lost for us.   Because, we are to put our hope in God alone, and love our neighbor, even our adversary with complete abandonment of ourselves out of love and reverence for God present in every person.

This past week I engaged in a very interesting conversation with someone about the terrible violence towards LGBT in African Countries.  I maintain that he violence towards LGBT people in Uganda, Nigeria and Russia is unjustifiable.  The conversation I had was with someone who felt that the Anglican voices in the African Countries that are supporting the draconian laws there, should have no voice in our Anglican Communion.   The problem with that is, that if we build up an attitude and policy of prejudice towards someone, because of their prejudice, then anyone with a prejudice can be kept from participating in the life and ministry of the Church.   That in fact, would mean any and all of us.  We will not succeed in changing hearts and minds towards one another, the more we silence the voices in opposition to each other.   We will succeed, because we continue in dialogue with each other and tell our stories to one another, so that we listen to each other, and open ourselves up to the presence of Christ in each other.   No matter, how difficult it is for us to do that.   It means being open to one another, and loving each other, as we struggle to understand and accept each other.   It will mean bearing in our hearts and souls in union with the wounds of Christ on the Cross in prayer for more open hearts and minds in our dialogue.   But, let us not forget that the story of our redemption does not end with the Cross and death of Christ.  It continued in Christ's Resurrection to new life, and sending the gift of the Holy Spirit.   The Holy Spirit is still among us, and "guiding us into all truth" (See John 16:12-13 NRSV).  Therefore, "for God all things are possible" (Mark 10:27 NRSV).

We must, with God's help, learn to recognize in those who harbor a prejudice, our own ability to discriminate against another.  We must pray with compassion as Henri J.M. Nouwen suggests in his book: With Open Hands.  Seeing in our neighbor, our ability to hurt one another, our lack of acceptance and ability to forgive and be forgiven.   If we close off our dialogue with each other, we will miss the opportunity to encounter Christ in one another.

In a week and half we will be at Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.  As we pray and prepare ourselves for the season of fasting, penance and alms giving, perhaps we need to pray for each other.  We should pray for one another, that we will be given a special measure of God's grace to receive all God's people with genuine hospitality, with a commitment to healing and reconciliation.   Through our prayers and work on behalf of all God's people, may violence and prejudice become yesterday's ways of dealing with out disagreements.  Instead, today, we want to embrace one another.  We continue in dialogue, listening carefully to God and each other.   May we listen and be silent to hear God speaking to and with us more clearly, with reverence and awareness of God's presence in each other.

Amen.


Prayers

O Lord, you have taught us that without love whatever we
do is worth nothing; Send your Holy Spirit and pour into our
hearts your greatest gift, which is love, the true bond of peace
and of all virtue, without which whoever lives is accounted
dead before you. Grant this for the sake of your only Son
Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, p.216).

Almighty God, who created us in your image: Grant us
grace fearlessly to contend against evil and to make no peace
with oppression; and, that we may reverently use our freedom,
help us to employ it in the maintenance of justice in our
communities and among the nations, to the glory of your holy
Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, p. 260).

O God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Savior,
the Prince of Peace: Give us grace seriously to lay to heart the
great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions; take away
all hatred and prejudice, and whatever else may hinder us
from godly union and concord; that, as there is but one Body
and one Spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one Faith,
one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we may be all
of one heart and of one soul, united in one holy bond of truth
and peace, of faith and charity, and may with one mind and
one mouth glorify thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, p.818).

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost: Accountability, Forgiveness and the Dignity of the Human Person

Today's Scripture Readings

2 Samuel 11:26-12:10,13-15

When the wife of Uriah heard that her husband was dead, she made lamentation for him. When the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife, and bore him a son.

But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD, and the LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, "There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds; but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. He brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children; it used to eat of his meager fare, and drink from his cup, and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was loath to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb, and prepared that for the guest who had come to him." Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man. He said to Nathan, "As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity."

Nathan said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: I anointed you king over Israel, and I rescued you from the hand of Saul; I gave you your master's house, and your master's wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added as much more. Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, for you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife."

David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan said to David, "Now the LORD has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the LORD, the child that is born to you shall die." Then Nathan went to his house. The LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and it became very ill.

Psalm 32 (BCP., p.624)


Galatians 2:15-21

We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by doing the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law. But if, in our effort to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have been found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again the very things that I once tore down, then I demonstrate that I am a transgressor. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.

Luke 7:36-8:3

One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and took his place at the table. And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him-- that she is a sinner." Jesus spoke up and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." "Teacher," he replied, "Speak." "A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?" Simon answered, "I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt." And Jesus said to him, "You have judged rightly." Then turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little." Then he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" And he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources.

Blog Reflection

King David is an interesting figure in the Bible, is he not?   The youngest son of Jesse who was a shepherd, chosen by God and anointed by the Prophet Samuel as King of Israel.  His monarchy name is such that God had plans for David's descendants for many generations.  So important to Salvation history is David that in Psalm 89 is a whole litany of promises by God to and about David.

I have found David my servant;
   with my holy oil have I anointed him.

My hand will hold him fast
    and my arm will make him strong.

No enemy shall deceive him,
    nor any wicked man bring him down.

I will crush his foes before him
   and strike down those who hate him.

My faithfulness and love shall be with him,
and he shall be victorious through my Name.  (Psalm 89:20-23, BCP. p.715).

So, one can imagine how David must have felt being confronted by Nathan and told exactly what he did to Uriah.  What he did was so evil, so wrong.  His deception resulted in lives lost, a family destroyed, and the use of people for his own gain.  Yet, what makes David a greater person and leader, is that once confronted about his sin, he admits and seeks forgiveness.  He recognized through Nathan that he cannot run from the weight of his sin, nor can he hide from God who gave him as much as he got.  So, David seeks forgiveness.

In our time, how do we hold our leaders both civil and religious accountable?  

Are we willing to do our part to hold those who approve of drone missile attacks on innocent Americans and families in Pakistan accountable for their heinous actions?   Are we going to just sit back and accept our President's defense of programs that kill in the name of so called "defense"?   Or, will we take action and demand that he hold himself accountable for the tax dollars that are spent on such violence?    As the concerns have been raised about American's privacy being violated with who might be listening in on our phone calls, emails and other forms of communication, what kind of accountability will we hold our leaders to?    How will we hold them accountable?  And why are we so angry about the Government listening and/or prying into our private business, but not so determined to do something about private owned internet companies that do the same?

As many leaders of church organizations and communities continue their assault on LGBTQ people, women, immigrants, Native American, individuals of other races, religions, etc, how will we hold them accountable?    How will we communicate our concern for the dignity of every human person affected by prejudiced rhetoric?

Our reading from Hebrew Scriptures suggests that if our leaders are really God honoring in their leadership, they will acknowledge their sins, and seek forgiveness and use the power of their office to make reparation.  We must pray for our leaders and hold them accountable.  Silence in prayer is good.  Silence in the face of injustice, is not. 

Our Gospel reading presents us with another picture of accountability and forgiveness. 

Jesus is invited to share a dinner in the home of a Pharisee   What we must understand some things about the picture being made for us.  Luke would have recorded his Gospel account about 85 A.D. At that point in time, the Pharisees were the only major tradition that survived the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D.  Luke often paints a picture of the Scribes and the temple bureaucrats being Jesus' enemies.  Not the Pharisees. Yet, we see here that the Pharisees in this setting are having quite the issue with the woman who comes to weep at Jesus' feet.

The woman in this narrative has violated some major cultural rules here.  Given that women were seen as the weaker of the human species, she is already on the lower end of the social classes.   Secondly, given her economical condition, she was most likely driven to prostitution as a means of financial survival.   In her "work" as a prostitute, she would have had Gentile as well as Jewish clients.  Those two issues, would have made her as close to the social dirt as one could get.  So, for her to just come into the house of a Pharisee and come near the table where Jesus was reclining, weep at his feet and so forth, she was really crashing the party.   So, the Pharisees here, see the woman as a weak, dirty, sinner.  The fact that she is there at all means she has defiled the house.   The fact that Jesus is letting her do what she was doing, means she has defiled Jesus, and he said very little.   Not only is the woman on a lower social class, but now, so is Jesus.  That is why this is so difficult for the Pharisees to wrap their head around what is going on.

As Jesus challenges Simon and the others in the house, he is not looking at them.  He is looking directly at the woman.  The Pharisees see a woman who is a sinner.  Jesus sees the woman as a daughter of God, who is paying him a really great act of faith in repentance, accountability and thanksgiving.  Jesus sees that the woman recognizes where she is socially, but her primary concern is the salvation of her soul.  Even if she has to break all of the other cultural rules to find the mercy of God in Christ, she will do it.  Jesus sees the sincerity of her faith, and imparts God's mercy upon her life.  His words to Simon and the others challenges them to look past all the cultural norms of who the woman is not, to see her as she is.  A daughter of God, in need of God's transforming grace.  Jesus calls those watching in dismay to recognize their own need for God's mercy, by seeing the faith found in the woman who holds herself accountable before God, and receives from Jesus, God's forgiveness and restoration.   In so doing, Jesus has upheld her dignity as a woman, and raised her up as redeemed by God's grace to given thanksgiving for the rest of her life.

In Fr. Andrew Dysinger, OSB's version of The Rule of St. Benedict, as used in Preferring Christ: A Devotional Commentary on The Rule of St. Benedict, by Norvene Vest,  he writes verses 4 and 5 of the Prologue using these words.

In the first place, whenever you begin any good work, beg of him with most earnest prayer to perfect it; so that he who has now granted us the dignity of being counted among the number of his children my not at any time be grieved by our evil deeds (p.3).

Almighty God who has created us out of the fullness of God's love, has now restored our dignity, and counted us among those who are God's beloved, through our redemption in Christ Jesus.  Everything that is good in and about each of us is there because of the dignity we each have, by the very fact that we are God's beloved people.  In the Gospel today, Jesus recognizes and upholds the dignity of this sorrowful woman.  Not because she is a woman, or because she is all of the other things that her society have placed upon her, which diminishes her dignity.  Jesus recognizes her dignity because of who she is.  That is why Jesus became her merciful Savior.  He upheld and restored her dignity.  And counted her as among God's beloved.  That was something the contemporaries of Jesus' time could not do.  That is why He corrected their self-righteousness and imparted God's compassion and forgiveness on them, as well as the woman.  Even if they did not see things that way.

What about us?

Do we see ourselves and others as having our dignity in who we are as daughters and sons of God who need to hold ourselves accountable for our sins, seek God's mercy and forgiveness?

In the third and fourth verses of hymn number 603 in The Hymnal 1982 we read and/or sing these words.

Where generation, class, or race divide us to our shame, he sees not labels but a face, a person, and a name.

Thus freely loved, though fully known, may I in Christ be free to welcome and accept his own as Christ accepted me.

Such labels include sexual orientation and/or gender identity/expression. They include individuals of various religions and more.  Each of us have been created by God and redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ.  We have our dignity by who we are, not what we do in or out of the sheets, who we love, our skin color, associations, etc.   Among the many reasons why inclusion is such an important matter for Christians, is because the sooner we learn to look past the distinctions we place on people and see them as God's people, the sooner we can get down to the real business of why Christians do what we do.   Lead people by our example to know our awesome God and the love God has for every human person, to the point of redeeming them in Christ, and sanctifying them by the Holy Spirit.  We can be a voice for justice, equality and bring hope to those who live in despair.    That is what Jesus came to do, and what He empowers His Church to do by the power of the Holy Spirit.

St. Wulfstan of Worcester in Portifolium prayed these words:

O God, you visit the humble and you console us with mutual love.  Stretch forth your grace to our community so that we may become aware of your coming into our midst through those in whom you dwell.  Amen.  (Essential Monastic Wisdom: Writings on the Contemplative Life.  Hugh Feiss, p.58).

May we all be in prayer for the Church, society and ourselves that we may be a people who draw people to Jesus Christ by word and example.  So that we can greet everyone with Benedictine hospitality and provide the way to reconciliation and healing for all who are wounded, and there may indeed be peace in God's kingdom on earth as well as in heaven.

Amen.

 

Prayers

Keep, O Lord, your household the Church in your steadfast
faith and love, that through your grace we may proclaim
your truth with boldness, and minister your justice with
compassion; for the sake of our Savior Jesus Christ, who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now
and for ever. Amen. (Proper 6, Book of Common Prayer, p. 230).


Gracious Father, we pray for they holy Catholic Church. Fill it
with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt,
purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in any thing it is
amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in
want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake
of Jesus Christ thy Son our Savior. Amen.  (Prayer for the Church, Book of Common Prayer, p.816).


O God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our only Savior,
the Prince of Peace: Give us grace seriously to lay to heart the
great dangers we are in by our unhappy divisions; take away
all hatred and prejudice, and whatever else may hinder us
from godly union and concord; that, as there is but one Body
and one Spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one Faith,
one Baptism, one God and Father of us all, so we may be all
of one heart and of one soul, united in one holy bond of truth
and peace, of faith and charity, and may with one mind and
one mouth glorify thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.  (Prayer for the Unity of the Church, Book of Common Prayer, p.818).

Wednesday in Holy Week: My Friend Who Shared My Bread Betrayed Me.

Today's Scripture Readings

Isaiah 50: 4-9a (NRSV)

The Lord GOD has given me

the tongue of a teacher,

that I may know how to sustain

the weary with a word.

Morning by morning he wakens--

wakens my ear

to listen as those who are taught.

The Lord GOD has opened my ear,

and I was not rebellious,

I did not turn backward.

I gave my back to those who struck me,

and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;

I did not hide my face

from insult and spitting.

The Lord GOD helps me;

therefore I have not been disgraced;

therefore I have set my face like flint,

and I know that I shall not be put to shame;

he who vindicates me is near.

Who will contend with me?

Let us stand up together.

Who are my adversaries?

Let them confront me.

It is the Lord GOD who helps me;

Psalm 70 (BCP, p. 682)


Hebrews 12: 1-3 (NRSV)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart.

John 13: 21-32 (NRSV)

At supper with his friends, Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, "Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me." The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. One of his disciples-- the one whom Jesus loved-- was reclining next to him; Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, "Lord, who is it?" Jesus answered, "It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish." So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, "Do quickly what you are going to do." Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, "Buy what we need for the festival"; or, that he should give something to the poor. So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.

When he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once."

Blog Reflection

A few years ago, I found myself experiencing the betrayal of someone I trusted.   A person who at one point appeared to be supportive of me in what I was doing.  We would engage in conversations, and there was nothing I could have said that he didn't find some thing good.   He was supportive.  He complimented me.  He encouraged me in what I was doing.  All seemed to be going well until a group of individuals began spreading stories about me. Eventually, one of them got close enough to the individual I trusted, to persuade him to go against me on everything.  Suddenly, there was nothing I could have said, done, tried to do that he would approve of.   He committed himself to working against me.   The individual I am speaking of is a former employer.  More than that, he is a Priest.

Many months after I was terminated I would find myself praying the words of Psalm 41: 9. "Even my best friend, whom I trusted, who broke bread with me, has lifted up his heel and turned against me."  I prayed these words many times.  They helped me feel like God might be hearing my pain from within.  There are many people who when they betrayed me drilled a hole in my heart.  But, a Priest who has the affect on the soul and the job, can really drive a mean bit into me.  However, God was closer to my pain than any thing that Priest could have done to me.   That is why the Psalms are so important to my life.

As I read this Gospel story of Judas betraying Jesus, I can go back to that time in my life and say with confidence, that through Jesus, God walked with me through that dark time.   Jesus showed me how to love someone that He knew was about to betray him.  He did not make excuses for Judas, nor did he condone his actions.  But, when the chips fell and later came the kiss of death in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus still loved Judas.  

As the marriage cases go before the Supreme Court this week, one of the most difficult things I experience is how the rhetoric from the anti-equality side gets racked up a notch.   All of the great LGBT news blogs serve up the horror of what the president of the National Organization for Marriage says about homosexuality.  Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council threatens a revolution if the Supreme Court votes in favor of marriage equality.   The worst and the nastiest becomes unbearable.   More conspiracy theories about homosexuality being the cause of diseases and natural disasters come out about this time, and they are each designed to take down our self esteem a bit.

Jesus Christ was not about setting down moral laws or even canons.  The work and mission of Jesus was bringing the Good News of God's love for the marginalized and those experiencing injustice and oppression.  Jesus healed the sick, gave sight to the blind and hope to many in despair.  Yet, the more people loved Him, the more jealous the prestigious got.  It was not enough to let Him say what needed to be said.  They had to work with one of Jesus' own disciples to be able to bring Him down.   Yet, it was not the Jewish religion, nor the Jews who killed Jesus.  It was our envy of each other.  Our selfishness and desire for power.  It was our sins that put Jesus on the cross.  The sin of betrayal in Judas, is quite possible for any one of us.  None of us are immune.

We are all invited by Jesus today, to follow Him. We can respond to our opponents with the same hate they send our way.  We can blame God and religion. We can even ditch all forms of organized religion.   Jesus offers us another way. A way that is also the truth and the life. Jesus and his way of life, is what leads us to the heart of God. The heart of God that loves with compassion.  The compassion to disapprove, but still leave us to our own choices. Yet, always ready and willing to forgive the repentant heart.

Holy Week helps us to meet ourselves and confront ourselves in and through Jesus Christ.  It also helps us to experience God's forgiveness and hopefully learn to forgive others.

In our faith tradition, we have a cloud of witnesses who have shown us great examples of God's transforming grace.  Even with all their human weaknesses.  Can we all learn from their examples?   Can we be good examples for others?

Amen.


Prayer

Lord God, whose blessed Son our Savior gave his body to be
whipped and his face to be spit upon: Give us grace to accept
joyfully the sufferings of the present time, confident of the
glory that shall be revealed; through Jesus Christ your Son our
Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one
God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Prayer for Wednesday, Book of Common Prayer, p.220).

Fourth Sunday in Lent: The Younger Son/Daughter, the Elder Son/Daughter and the Father/Mother

Today's Scripture Readings

Joshua 5:9-12 (NRSV)

The LORD said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away from you the disgrace of Egypt." And so that place is called Gilgal to this day.

While the Israelites were camped in Gilgal they kept the passover in the evening on the fourteenth day of the month in the plains of Jericho. On the day after the passover, on that very day, they ate the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. The manna ceased on the day they ate the produce of the land, and the Israelites no longer had manna; they ate the crops of the land of Canaan that year.

Psalm 32 (BCP., p.624)


2 Corinthians 5:16-21 (NRSV)

From now on, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Luke 15: 1-3, 11b-32 (NRSV)

All the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to Jesus. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them."
So Jesus told them this parable:

"There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.' So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, 'How many of my father's hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands."' So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly, bring out a robe--the best one--and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!' And they began to celebrate.

"Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.' Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, 'Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!' Then the father said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.'"

Blog Reflection

Sr. Joan Chittister, OSB wrote the following story.

Once upon a time, the story begins, some seekers from the city asked the local monastic a question.

"How does one seek union with God?"
And the Wise One said, "The harder you seek, the more distance you create between God and you."
"So what does one do about the distance?"  the seekers asked.
And the elder said simply, "Just understand that it isn't there."
"Does that mean that God and I are one?" the disciples said.
And the monastic said, "Not one. Not two."
"But how is that possible?" the seekers insisted.
And the monastic answered, "Just like the sun and its light, the ocean and the wave, the singer and the song. Not one.  But not two"  (p.195, Wisdom Distilled from the Daily: Living the Rule of St. Benedict Today).

This Lent, my life has been forever impacted by Henri J.M. Nouwen's book The Return of the Prodigal Son.   I read the book as my preparation for this particular blog post.  The book has inspired me to ask myself the question: "Am I the younger son, the elder son or the Father?"  

Before I continue, I would just like all my blog readers to please bear with me as I am staying with the male pronouns that Nouwen uses.   I maintain my support for gender inclusive language.   This is one of those cases where I will ask my readers to see yourself in the gender pronouns, and please pardon me for a walk in the past.

In the past when I have read and/or heard the parable of the Prodigal Son, I have tended to side with the younger son and see the terrific compassion for him.  However, I have often looked past the elder son and just figured he was some conceited whatever, who got what he deserved.   As Nouwen wrote about the elder son in greater detail, I could not help but see myself in the elder son.   The elder son responds to his father's acceptance of the returned younger son, and throwing a big party with elder son allowing his resentment, jealousy and competitiveness to come to a boiling point.   The elder son is finding his obedience to his father to being burdensome.   He is doing everything he is suppose to be doing, and he does not feel like he is getting a return on all of his investment.   He just cannot understand why his brother who took his father's inheritance and has returned is being greeted with such welcome and compassion.  After all doesn't the father owe him everything?

What the elder son could not see, is that he already had everything.  That is why the father's response is so important.   The father welcomes both sons back to him.  In both instances, the father does not dwell on what either son has done.  All he does is welcome them home with great compassion, according to each of his son's personalities.   When the father addresses the elder son with "you are always with me, everything I have is yours"  he is telling the elder son, he is already close to his father's heart and nothing has ever changed that.  All the elder son has to do is put aside his resentment, his distrust, his competition and join his father and his younger brother in the banquet of all of the goodness the father had to offer them.

Nouwen also puts a great spotlight on the role of the Father.  The Father represents the compassionate God, who feels our human pain, suffering and torn selves, in the Person of Jesus Christ.  While the Father experiences the greatest anguish on our behalf, he is also calling us like a Mother to come on home, and experience the all embracing, extravagant love of the Father.   The Father does not ask them to give up their sexual orientation, or to pay back what they owe.  The Father does not shame women about having had abortions or used contraception.  The Father is not interested in their allegiance to a clerical superpower religion or the Republican Tea Party to prove their conversion.  All that the Father does is welcome them home with a warm embrace, gives them new clothes to wear and invites them to share in the heavenly banquet.

I think we have all at some point behaved like the elder son.   How many times have you heard someone say of another person(s) who is getting government assistance by way of cash, emergency assistance, food stamps or WIC, "Look I am working 50 hours a week, and I don't get to eat fresh baked bread at home.  Why should they begetting all this stuff they did not work for?"   Anyone who knows someone who is in need of such assistance, also knows the humiliation, the grief and the self consciousness such people experience.  It can feel degrading, dehumanizing and like there is this stone in the pit of your stomach.

I think for this Lent, this Gospel is asking us about our attitudes of compassion, hospitality and reconciliation with others around us.   Are we taking a page from the Rule of St. Benedict about receiving all guests as "Christ himself"?   Or, are we picking and choosing who we will welcome and be kind to?   Are we willing to reach out our arms to embrace those who are wandering without a spiritual home, ready to accept them regardless of their race, color, economic status, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, religion, cultural practices, etc?    Do we see reconciliation as our opportunity to make things right with God, on behalf of God and by God's grace working in and through us?

Lent still has another two weeks to go.  All of us will be brought face to face with the Cross once again.  We will be asked if we want to embrace the Cross so that we may have a victory over the powers of death, to new life in Christ.   We will be confronted by the decision to embrace the Cross totally and with complete abandonment of our will out of love in obedience to the will of God.  Or will we only pay lip service and leave ourselves at the tomb, like a dead Jesus who never rose again?

The parable of the Prodigal Son is our opportunity to go home to the Father, and to become a compassionate, welcoming and reconciling loving Father/Mother.   We are all welcomed to the banquet.  God is always with us.  Everything God has is ours.  But, let us celebrate with God concerning those who have come home.   We have all been found.  We have all come alive again.  "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13).

Amen.


Prayers

Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down
from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world:
Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in
him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one
God, now and for ever. Amen.  (Collect for the Fourth Sunday in Lent, Book of Common Prayer, p. 219).
 
Gracious Father, we pray for they holy Catholic Church. Fill it
with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt,
purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in any thing it is
amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in
want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake
of Jesus Christ thy Son our Savior. Amen.  (Prayer for the Church, Book of Common Prayer, p.816).


Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is
hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where
there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where
there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where
there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to
be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is
in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we
are born to eternal life. Amen. (Prayer Attributed to St. Francis of Assisi,  Book of Common Prayer, p. 833).

Praying with Compassion for Those Most Like Us

Today's Scripture Reading

James 2: 14-26 (NRSV)

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill’, and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith without works, and I by my works will show you my faith. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder. Do you want to be shown, you senseless person, that faith without works is barren? Was not our ancestor Abraham justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was brought to completion by the works. Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness’, and he was called the friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. Likewise, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another road? For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is also dead. 

Blog Reflection

I have been reading With Open Hands by Henri J.M. Nouwen.   It is a book about prayer.  Nouwen draws the reader into a serious self-examination of what prayer means.  

Praying...demands a relationship in which you allow someone other than yourself to enter the very center of your person, to see there what you would rather leave in darkness, and to touch there what you would rather leave untouched. (p.19)

Nouwen invites us to take a good deeper look into our relationship to God through prayer.

Are we hanging on to things from God with "clenched fists"? (Chapter 1).

There are many points that have been very moving for me while reading this book.  However, the most recent chapter 4: Prayer and Compassion struck me.  What is written in that chapter appeared to be making a new connection for me to today's New Testament Reading from James for use with the Daily Office.

To the point about prayer and compassion I want to use the following from Nouwen's book.

Compassion goes beyond distance and exclusiveness.

Compassion grows with the inner recognition that your neighbor shares your humanity with you.  This partnership cuts through all walls which might have kept you separate.  Across all barriers of land and language, wealth and poverty, knowledge and ignorance, we are one, created form teh same dust, subject to the same laws, and destined for the same end.   With this compassion you can say, "In the face of the oppressed I recognize my own face and in the hands of the oppressor I recognize my own hands.   Their flesh is my flesh; their blood is my blood; their pain is my pain; their smile is my smile.  Their ability to torture is in me too; their capacity to forgive I find also in myself.   There is nothing in them that does not belong to me, too.  In my heart, I know their yearning for love and down to my entrails, I can feel their cruelty.  In another's eyes, I see my plea for forgiveness and in a hardened frown, I see my refusal.  When someone murders, I know that I too could have murdered, and when someone gives birth, I know that I am capable of birth as well.  In the depths of my being, I meet my fellow humans with whom I share love and hate, life and death (p.92,93).

After I read this, my mind drifted to all of the times I read something from the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) or the Family Research Council (FRC) for example, and just burn with rage at what they said.  I have at times allowed what they've written to drive me to near depression.   I am at the point where I no longer read those things regularly, because of how much they drive me down.

What Nouwen wrote here and what I believe James may be challenging us to do, is to align our faith with our work.  Earlier in James 1:22-25, we read about the idea of being doers of the word and not hearers only is like looking in a mirror.  What we do with what we pray and read, is a reflection of who we really are and what we are really doing.  A mirror large enough, not only shows you a reflection of yourself, but also everything you do while glancing into that mirror.

If all we do is read or listen to what those who say the most horrific things about women, liberals, LGBT people etc and react only, then, sad to say, we are no better than they are.  What they say and think, is some thing many of us said or thought before we came out of our own closets and accepted ourselves.   Before many of us came out, we said horrific things about people who are LGBT.  If we were part of a conservative Christian tradition, we probably quoted Leviticus 20:13 erroneously, and/or maliciously.   Many of us closeted gay men, struggled what to do about that crush we had on a classmate in school, while telling ourselves we would go to hell if we ever did anything physical about it.

While we must not "make peace with oppression" and just hear things like these passively, we can do some work from our faith in these moments.   We can pray with compassion for those who speak as we once spoke.   We can receive them into our prayers with compassion from a point of hospitality to seek healing and reconciliation for them and ourselves.    We can identify with their weaknesses and look carefully at our own attitudes of prejudice towards others for whom we may still harbor some kind of bias that we would rather ignore.  Through our prayers for them with compassion, we can experience the compassion of our God coming to touch those places in our lives that need to be mended and made holy.

If we will only take some time to make use of this exercise, we will find even our anger and depression, giving way to love for Christ above all else, and honoring God in even our adversaries.   We are all on the same journey, even if we are approaching them from very different directions.   God is as much their destiny as God is ours.

Who are we willing to pray for with compassion today?


Prayer

O God, the Father of all, whose Son commanded us to love
our enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth:
deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in
your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for our Enemies, Book of Common Prayer, p. 816).

O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know
you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend
us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that
we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of
any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen. (Prayer for Peace, Book of Common Prayer, p. 99).

Thursday in Easter Week: Peace Be With You

Today's Scripture Readings

Acts 3: 11-26 (NRSV)
 

While the lame man whom Peter and John had healed clung to them, all the people ran together to them in the portico called Solomon's Portico, utterly astonished. When Peter saw it, he addressed the people, "You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our ancestors has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate, though he had decided to release him. But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer given to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And by faith in his name, his name itself has made this man strong, whom you see and know; and the faith that is through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you.

"And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer. Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah appointed for you, that is, Jesus, who must remain in heaven until the time of universal restoration that God announced long ago through his holy prophets. Moses said, `The Lord your God will raise up for you from your own people a prophet like me. You must listen to whatever he tells you. And it will be that everyone who does not listen to that prophet will be utterly rooted out of the people.' And all the prophets, as many as have spoken, from Samuel and those after him, also predicted these days. You are the descendants of the prophets and of the covenant that God gave to your ancestors, saying to Abraham, `And in your descendants all the families of the earth shall be blessed.' When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you, to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways."

Psalm 8 (BCP, P. 592)


Luke 24: 36b-48 (NRSV)

While the disciples were talking about how they had seen Jesus risen from the dead, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, "Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence.

Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you-- that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things."

Blog Reflection

What ever the different opinions of who Jesus was that are out there, it is pretty hard to not see that he must have been an extraordinary person to rise from the dead, and go to his disciples who abandoned him while he hung dying on the Cross, and his first words spoken to them were: "Peace be with you."  It is one thing to talk about loving a friend who has betrayed or left you in your hour of need.  It is quite another to do it and be authentic about it. 

This kind of thing puts a very different perspective on the kinds of things we face when we are rejected by someone close to us.  Jesus had been crucified.  He suffered for six long hours, bleeding and dying of suffocation.  The only disciple believed to come to him at the foot of the Cross was John as he beheld Mary.   Peter, the guy speaking to the crowds in reading from Acts today, denied Jesus three times.  When Jesus rises from the dead, he does not go to the disciples in anger to tirade them about not being at the Cross with him.  He does not scold them for their lack of faith when Mary Magdalene and the others brought them news of his resurrection.  Jesus wishes them peace.  He opens for them the Scriptures that referred to Jesus and all that he had accomplished.  There was no shame, just God's mercy and tender love.

As a gay man who has known a great deal of grief and hardship at the hands and words of Christians, I find this a difficult Gospel to digest.  On one hand I would love to go to those Christianists who are working to pass the MN Marriage Amendment this upcoming November and wish them God's peace.  On the other, I am angry as hell that I may not have the power to stop them.  I am also a Christian who claims belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ by which my sins and those of the one's who are determined to keep me and my partner, and other LGBT couples in Minnesota, second class citizens, are forgiven.  I still have to regard them as sisters and brothers in the Lord, however much I might despise or disagree with their actions towards the LGBT communities.  I need the peace that comes from the Risen Christ, to help me to have that peace within myself, so that I can be the best example I can be, even to those who disregard my citizenship as among God's adopted children.  This in no way means that I excuse what they are doing, nor that I necessarily have to be their new best friend, or be converted to their way of thinking, believing or acting in order to be a good Christian.  It also does not mean that I give up my work for equality, inclusion and justice, that I might allow them to validate the falsehood of their messages of hate and violence regarding LGBT people.  It does mean, that I must wish and pray for God's peace in them as I do myself, and anyone else for that matter.

Do we wish for peace for everyone in our lives?   Even for those who hurt us? 

Are we peace makers in our work places, churches, communities and homes?  

Are we at work to bring peace to those who are poor, hurting, oppressed and without the means of obtaining peace in their lives without some kind of help?

Is there the peace of the Risen Christ in your heart and life, as you face the challenges that are before you?

Whether we are experiencing joy because of the good things going on in our life, or we are hurting and discouraged, the Risen Christ comes to us and says: "Peace be with you."   Jesus Christ, risen from the dead is our peace.  He is the peace that is not necessarily the absence of conflict, but that peace even while enduring the most war like moments in our lives.  Whether we live the Gospel faithfully, or if we struggle just to get along with that co-worker that drives us crazy.  Jesus Christ is our peace that the world around us cannot give.  Can we trust in that peace today, so that we may bring that same peace to the world around us?


Prayers

Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery
established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all
who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ's Body
may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.  (Collect for Thursday in Easter Week, Book of Common Prayer, p. 223).


Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles, "Peace I give to
you; my peace I leave with you:" Regard not our sins,
but the faith of your Church, and give to us the peace and
unity of that heavenly city, where with the Father and the
Holy Spirit you live and reign, now and for ever. Amen. (Prayer for Peace, Book of Common Prayer, p. 107).


Most holy God, the source of all good desires, all right
judgements, and all just works: Give to us, your servants, that
peace which the world cannot give, so that our minds may be
fixed on the doing of your will, and that we, being delivered
from the fear of all enemies, may live in peace and quietness;
through the mercies of Christ Jesus our Savior. Amen.  (A Collect for Peace, Book of Common Prayer, p. 123).